Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1887-12-29
OUR STREET RAILWAY.

ulOSi iuHu6Htidi CIliLShS DdUutu tutll-
selves together for the express purpose of
building street railway. They even
went so far as to procure a charter and
the right of way on certain streets from
our city council, and that is ALL Since |
then they have kept very quiet. So quiet
in fact that such & thing as a street rail
way has been entirely forgotten. but let
a business man, a man of capital come |
here and offer to build a street railway |
and this self same company would be lay |
ing track the next day-provlded the |
would say SO for them.
We say, let the city council annul the
right of way granted this company if any |
exist at present. Let the charter be taken |
away from them. Invite capitalists here |
and we viii have street railway in fact,
instead of an air line with the cars be-
ing propelled by wind manufactured by
stockholders, as it now exists.-Dodge
City Democrat.
The above is an exhibit of presumtous
ignorance unworthy OF the editor of the
Democrat. He has thus arraigned the
business men OF Dodge City, who have
taken in hand various enterprises and
carried them through successfullY-men
who have spent their money freely, laid
foundations deep and broad and done
every thing in their power to build up in
dustries and keep our city in the front
rank of the cities of Kansas-men who
have succeeded beyond the expectation
of their rivals,-men who have always
sacrificed their own interests in giving
way to outside capitalists, for what they
supposed would be for the best interests of
the city
Now with what grace does this man ac-
cuse these business men of disloyalty, of
being bags Of wind of standing in the
way Of the success Of our city.
We would like to know what the ed
itor of the Democrat has done for the
best interests of Dodge City? He is one
of the Oldest citizens lie has been in
business and placed in position to have
done much, if he had interested himself
in the right way What large sums Of
money has he spent? We have known
him long time. We Go not know of
any benefit the city has derived from his
being in it. We know a great many
things he has attempted to do and made
a miserable failure, and worse, we know
of these same business men, at whom he
points the finger of contempt have raised
large sums Of money and placed it in his
hands for the accomplishment Of certuin
things he said he could do, We know
that he failed every time. Surely this
man has nothing to say. With him
mum should be the word.
Now, let us see if these business men
stood in the way Of the best interests Of
our city in keeping out capitalists, who
would have built and operated line Of
street railway.
The first company was chartered under
the name of the Dodge City Street Rail
way Company. Its members were J. II.
Crawford, C. N. Beeson, D. NJ Frost, B.
Bond. B. F. Milton, L L. 1TcCarty and
VIM. Tilghman, Jr.
They organized in good faith and did
considerable grading, and would have
built and operated the road, But about
this time, Nj Hartzel, from Wichita,
came well represented, and expressed him.
self as anxious to build and operate 4
miles of street railway in Dodge City if
he could secure the franchise.
The Dodge City Street Railway Co.
were urged to turn over their charter and
franchise to him, which they did, with
out bonus, and at heavy loss to them.
selves They furnished Mr.. Hartzen with
maps Of the city without cost. They then
paid Lawyer Hendricks $1,000 to protect
the best interests of Dodge City in the
transfer Who could have acted more
generously? Who could have done more
for an outside capitalist? But the outside
capitalist failed to meet his agreement.
Yet in the face of these facts, this know
nothing, do-nothing steps in and accuses
these men of standing in the way of our
city's best interests in keeping out outside
capitalists.
Again the business men organized |
under the charter of The Street Railway
Company of Dodge City and South Dodge. |
It's members were c. NJ Beeson, D. Z. |
Owens, j. Fl. Crawford, /. Z. Mcintyre,
". c. Shinn. The purpose of this com
pany was to opperate a line from the Col
lege and the depot in South Dodge. But
while attempting to get franchise they
learned that another company had been
chartered and wanted to build over the
same line. Mr.. Soule was the principal |
man interested in this new enterprise
When we found that our interests conflict
ed we held consultation. In consldera-
ton of the fact that hIr Soule was under
an agreement to build and operate a line
from the College to the depot, we deem
ed it the proper thing for us to withdraw
from the field and give Mr. Soule the
whole line to build. with the understand
ng that he would build the street railway
n the early spring. Again we find the
nome company CRYING away to an outside
capitalist. What more could the editor
If the Democrat ask? We will not make
my more comments. We think the ex-
olanation sufficient. We hope that the
Democrat will find out the facts before it
lenounces our business men again.
ftN-I- on u-rrr,